The Road Less Traveled
by Andie24
Summary: Sometimes life takes unexpected turns and it's up to you to make the best of them. DL, Smacked, and mentions of FA.
1. Praying for the Future

_nfiSo I know I have two other stories but I just had to post this one. Thank to Brinchen86, I now am in love with DL so much that this story popped in my head. And I want to thank Brina so much (really, I couldn't do it enough) for being my __**beta, DL consultant, chat buddy, **__but mostly a __**great friend**__ so Brina, this one is for you. _

_Please, let me know what you think. This takes play right after Pay Up so if you haven't seen it, be warned that it has major season 5 spoilers. _

_And I don't own anything._

_-Andie_

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Chapter One: Praying for the Future

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Never in her life had Lindsay Monroe been so tired.

She spent years as a CSI, dealing with twelve hour shifts and countless over time hours yet nothing could compare to the exhaustion she felt as she stood outside of her apartment building. The early morning air created stillness in the atmosphere, leaving the city quiet and tranquil. The slowly rising sun cast a thin ray of light along the city's borders, the sky answering with a deep blue and an invading lighter one. The only sounds that could be heard were the noise made by cars as they made their way down the quiet city streets or the calls of bird who greeted the morning with excitement of what would be found during their flight over the city's horizon.

Yet, Lindsay heard none of those. The only thing she could hear were the panic screams of terror that had taken place not even twenty four hours before…

_Stella held her glass in her hands, taking in a sigh before she started talking. She told herself that she didn't want to cause any more tears and she prayed that she wouldn't._

"_Jessica Angell was one of those rare people who touched each of our lives; the kind who reaffirms your faith in humanity. She was someone who you could trust, both as a colleague and as a friend. She fought for what was right, something which I will always admire her for…"_

_Lindsay sat across from Stella with her hand intertwined with Danny's, listening. She couldn't agree more which was exactly why the day had been so hard. She wouldn't say that she and Angell were best friends but there was a large amount of respect between the two and Lindsay knew that she would miss the woman dearly. _

_Throughout the evening, she had cast quick glances in Flack's direction. Every time she saw his face, her heart broke. She had never seen him so vulnerable, so helpless, so distressed. Flack was one of the strongest men she knew, both physically and mentally so seeing him now harshly hurt her on the inside._

_With her eyes drifting off of Flack and back towards Stella, she focused her attention back on the woman's voice; only she never heard any other words._

The door seemed exceptionally heavy has she pushed it open. She was greeted by both the silence and darkness of the apartment. Normally, she was elated to enter her apartment as it usually promised the sight of her daughter but today was different; there was no one there.

Yet, as she moved further inside, she came to the conclusion that she preferred it that way. They say that the way you feel affects the mood of your baby, and she couldn't bear the thought of her grief passing on to her daughter. Thankfully her mother in law had graciously taken Lucy for the night. Her daughter was her everything and she knew she couldn't expose her to the ever darkening tone in the apartment for it was just too much. She wondered if she would be able to handle it herself.

As much as she tried to fight it, her mind kept going back to the night before.

_Before Lindsay could process what Stella was currently saying, she heard a sudden blast of noise shooting through the air so rapidly that her head was instantly greeted with a headache._

_By the time it had registered that the noise had been gunshots, she felt herself being pushed forcefully to the ground. Everything had been happening so fast that she couldn't even scream out in pain as she felt her wrist hit the ground and the weight above her crash down on her body. She stayed still for a moment, listening to the sounds of the room. People were screaming, glass was cracking, and cries of those hurt filled her ears. _

_As she slowly lifted her head, another sound filled her ears. _

"_Lindsay! Lindsay, are you okay?"_

_The weight that had once been present on top of her was now gone and Danny's voice came in loud and clear. _

"_Answer me Lindsay." The shear amount of panic in his voice became clear, causing her to gather the strength to move from her position._

"_I'm fine Dan...aahh," her statement was cut short by the sudden amount of pain that shot though her left wrist. She quickly moved her other hand to cradle it as she moved to a sitting position. _

_Danny was in front of her rapidly, quickly surveying her wrist. He gentled rubbed a finger over it, stopping when he felt her body wither in pain. _

_Feeling he was about to say something more, Lindsay spoke first. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's just bruised," she said before quickly moving her eyes around room. _

_Trusting her judgment, Danny did the same and immediately spotted Sid moving to stand up. He quickly got up to aid the older man as Lindsay stood up._

"_Is everyone alright?" Mac, who was currently helping Stella up, looked around the room, mentally taking count of every member of his team. _

_Sheldon, who never forgot his role as a doctor had already begun to help others in the building. He currently sat with a woman who was bleeding profusely from her arm. "I'm okay. Someone call an ambulance," he threw over his shoulder. _

"_What was that?" Adam asked in a daze. Lindsay could see the blood dripping from his forehead. She rushed to him, doing her best to conjure up all the medical knowledge she had. "Adam, are you okay?" The cut on his head was deep, raising the amount of worry inside of her_

"_Yeah, I'm fine Linds." His voice was quiet, causing Lindsay to usher him to a chair that managed to stay upright. "Where's the ambulance?" she called out._

"_ETA's in two minutes."_

_It was just then she remembered Don. She looked over to see him yelling into his phone, barking orders and requesting back up. From her view, he had gone back into Detective mode; a place that Lindsay feared would be too much to handle right then and there. Yet, she knew that it was in his nature to spring into action whenever necessary._

_She waiting with Adam, she glanced back over in Danny's direction. He stood with Sid who was clearly shaken up by the whole ordeal. He had a hand rested on his heart as he seemed to be taking deep breaths. As she looked at Danny, he glanced up at her, sending a silent 'are you okay?' across the room. _

_She nodded and turned back to Adam. "You're going to be okay, Adam."_

The view of the ceiling from her bed had become very familiar in the last hour. She lay in bed, doubtful that any sleep would come her way. Instead, her thoughts stayed on the shooting, wondering what exactly had happened.

Afterwards, they all went to the hospital so be with Adam. According to the medical staff, he would be fine. They did however want to keep him overnight. She luckily was able to go home with a hairline fracture. Sheldon promised her that it would heal in a month or so; something she was grateful for merely to the fact that the cast they gave her was already becoming a nuisance.

She glanced at the empty spot on the bed beside her. They had stayed in the hospital with Adam until Mac insisted they went home as he and Stella volunteered to stay. Danny had quietly told Lindsay that he wanted to take Flack home, knowing that the man had a lot on his plate and that driving may not be the right option, especially at that hour. As much as she wished Danny had come home with her, she knew he was right. Flack needed someone and Danny was volunteering to be that someone; an act that she greatly respected.

The sound of her phone beeping took her mind away from the current situation and brought her attention to the phone that rested on her nightstand. She reached over and read the screen, seeing that she had one new message from Danny.

_Hey, just letting you know that I got Flack home and I think he's finally asleep but I'm gonna stay a while. Love, D._

Lindsay let out a sigh of both relief and contentment. She was deeply worried about Flack as she was thankful that Danny was there with him.

Another beep from her phone caught her attention. She looked down at the screen.

_And stop worrying, Montana. Everything's gonna be alright._

As she read the words along the screen of her phone, she prayed that he was right.


	2. Continuous Motion

_So here's chapter two. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I appreciate it so much. Thanks for the alerts too. I hope you like this chapter as well._

_Special thank you to __**Brinchen86 **__for the beta and discussing it with me. I really love you for it!_

_And I don't own anything._

_Andie_

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Chapter Two: Continuous Motion

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Just as quickly as the night came, it went away, leaving the city to become a glow of sunlight and sounds. New York City, known for its dense population, was no stranger to the hectic and chaotic situations that come with the start of any work day so that particular late Thursday morning was no different.

For Danny Messer however, it was very different.

He stood still and watched as the elevator doors slid open, allowing him to step out into the hallways of the New York City Crime Lab. The moment he entered he could sense the feeling that everyone was on edge.

The death of Angell had been hard enough to deal with but in the wake of her passing, the unexpected shooting had caught everyone off guard. The whole department had been taken by surprise and no one really knew what to make of it; himself included. He had barely begun to realize that he would never see Jess again and now he had to deal with the fact that he could have easily have lost someone else. The thought scared him completely and he did his best not to think about it. He knew that he had to be strong; for everyone, for Lindsay.

Danny made his way down the hall that led to the locker rooms. He turned the corner entered the locker room and immediately spotted Lindsay seated on one of the benches.

"Hey you," he said softly, not wanting to startle her.

His efforts failed however when she jumped at the sound of his voice, her heart racing faster than it had before he walked in.

She looked up, and upon realizing it was Danny, she stood from her spot and walked over, her arms automatically going around his waist.

Danny answered by moving his to her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. He rested his chin against her temple as he let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know how long they stood that way, and he didn't care. He would have stayed that way for as long as she wanted if he had to.

After a minute or so, Lindsay pulled back yet her arms remained on his waist. She looked up at him, her big brown eyes full of question and worry.

Looking right in her eyes, Danny read her question before she had a chance to ask. "I'm fine, okay? I promise you that." He moved his hands to cup her face and moved his lips to her forehead. He placed a small kiss there and pulled back. He looked down to see her eyes closed. "You alright?"

Her eyes opened and she looked back up at him, nodding slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine. How's Flack?" she asked as she removed her arms from his waist and sat back down on the bench.

Danny stood for a moment before joining her. He sat facing forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

"To be honest with you, I have no idea, but I know it ain't good," he admitted.

"Is he still at home?" Lindsay questioned.

Danny shrugged. "Nope. When I woke up he was gone, along with his car. I stopped by the precinct but no one had seen him there."

Lindsay watched Danny with a worried expression. "Where do you think he could be?"

Danny shrugged once more, a frustrated sigh coming from his lips. "I have no clue, Lindsay. I tried calling him a hundred times and it goes straight to voicemail."

"Should we call someone?"

Danny shook his head. "As much as I would love to, I think we need to give him his space, ya know. He's gotta come back on his own terms. We can't force him to do anything."

"You're probably right," Lindsay said softly.

He watched as she sat still, looking at nothing in particular. "So, uh," he started. "I talked to my mother this morning. She says Lucy's doing great."

For the first time that morning, Danny was given the opportunity to see his wife smile. "I know. I called her too," she said. "Last I heard, she was trying to get her to go sleep, but Lucy was being uncooperative." Lindsay paused for a moment, her smile growing wider. "Your mother says she gets it from you."

He chuckled at the statement, knowing that his mother would say something like that, and also that she was probably right.

"Do you think having Lucy is too much for her?"

Danny turned at Lindsay's question. "Of course not. It's her first grandchild. She loves having Lucy over, trust me," he assured her. "Besides, she understands that a lot is going on right now."

"You could say that again. I mean, first Angell, now this. What's next?"

"What's next?" he repeated. "We find out who is responsible for the shooting and then we move on."

Lindsay sat still for a minute. She glanced over at him and tried her best to smile but was unsuccessful. "I wish it would be that easy."

Danny watched her for a minute before looking down; his eyes became fixated on a part of the floor. He knew she was right. It wasn't going to be easy. They were going to be feeling the effects of the past couple of days for a long time. He just hoped it wouldn't be forever.

Before he had a chance to say anything else, the shrill of a cell phone echoed throughout the room, causing both of them to check the phones situated on their hips. Just as Lindsay realized it wasn't hers, Danny answered his.

"Messer…yeah, okay…alright, I'll be there," he said into the receiver before shutting it. "That was Stella," he started. "She wants me down at the bar to help out."

Lindsay nodded in understanding, knowing that their job didn't pause for any personal reasons they may have.

Danny sighed as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to him. He placed a kiss on her temple, letting his lips linger for a minute. "I love you," he whispered to her.

A small smile appeared on her face at his words. "I love you too."

Danny pulled back and stood up from his seat. "I'll call you alright," he told her.

When he saw her nod, he sent her one last smile before heading out of the locker room.

Lindsay sat and watched him go. As hard as everything was right then and there, it was a comforting fact knowing that she had Danny there.

Gathering the energy to get up, she closed her locker and made her way out of the locker room. She went up the few steps and into the hallway.

The moment she began walking in the lab, she could feel the eyes on her. Like any other workplace, news spread fast around the crime lab. Everyone knew that she was a part of the shooting. She could sense everyone staring at her, all thinking the same things. _Man, I feel so bad _or _she just had the baby, how can she handle all of this._ But she couldn't blame them. If it were the other way around, she'd be thinking the same things.

Pushing the thoughts away, she continued her journey though the lab when she spotted Sheldon along the wall.

As she got closer, she could see the exhausted expression on his face. Sheldon had been a CSI for almost four years and never before had he been in a situation like the night before. As much as he was mentally prepared with the fact that it was all a part of the job, he still couldn't shake the sounds of glass crashing and people screaming from his mind. They were replying over and over again in his head.

"Hey," Lindsay greeted when she reached him.

He turned to look at her, a small smile on his face. "Hey Lindsay. How are you doing?" he asked concerned.

She crossed her arms as she let out a long sigh. "Better," she told him. "You?"

"I'm fine," he said before turning back to look across the hall.

Lindsay followed his line of vision until her eyes landed on Mac's office. Through the clear glass walls, she had a clear view of the inside. She saw Mac sitting in his office chair, his hand moving over his face in frustration. She guessed it was because of the man sitting across from him.

"What is Sinclair up to now?" Lindsay asked.

Sheldon shrugged lightly. "Probably talking to Mac about the shooting, seeing if he knows any information on who's the target."

Lindsay's head slowly turned around to look at Sheldon. "Target? You mean, like one of us?"

Sheldon looked at her with a shrug. "I think so. I mean, what are the odds that this happens at the exact same bar we were all inside of. I mean, it's a scary thought but it makes sense. Thiings like this don't just happen for no reason."

Lindsay nodded before turning back to look in Mac's office. Not once had she thought that whoever shot in the bar had been aiming for one of them but now as she stood there, she realized that Sheldon was right; it did make sense.

Perfect sense.

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Any other day, the Rose Bar was just another venue in Manhattan, complete with the large glass window in the front and a host of regular customers. People would be laughing over jokes told on first dates, or calculating profit numbers during business meetings. Or as exhibited the night before, mourning the loss of a loved one.

But as Danny stepped out his SUV, he could see that the Rose Bar would never be the same.

The bright morning sun shone on the surface of the city, creating a large pocket of heat in the air. It became clear that that day was going to be particularly hot, despite it still being late spring. He hadn't made it ten steps yet and he could already feel the beads of sweat forming on his brow.

With a sigh escaping his lips, he swung the door shut and made his way towards the bar. As he neared the building, he could see the glass shattered all over the floor, leaving no part uncovered. The way the glass lay still along the floor allowed the sun to glisten off its surface, creating streaks of color in the air. If it wasn't for the reason behind the shattered glass, it would have been a beautiful sight.

Danny looked across the room and spotted Stella kneeling on the floor, camera in hand. Her curls fell from her head and down her neck. Even from where he stood, he could see her face and he guessed that she had never gone home. If Stella was nothing else in the world, she was definitely dedicated to her job.

"Hey Stell," he greeted warmly.

She looked up and sent him a tired smile from where she stood. "Hey Danny. How's Don?"

Danny shook his head. "I don't know Stella. I can't find him. He's not returning my calls or anything." As he spoke, he became confused by Stella's expression. It looked almost like she already knew. "Why don't you look worried?"

"I am worried Danny, it's just I understand. I mean, if it was you would you really want to talk to everyone about it?"

Danny paused for a minute, knowing she was right. "I guess not."

"Just give him time, alright. He'll come around," Stella assured him.

Just as she finished talking, the sound of footsteps came behind him and he saw a look of surprise wash over Stella's face. He frowned in confusion before turning around. When he saw who it was, his expression mirrored that of Stella's.

"Maka?" he questioned.

The raven haired woman smiled at him before speaking. Her hair hung down the sides of her face and her back. Her tall, petite frame stood in the doorway of the bar, blocking any light from entering through the opening. "Hey Messer," she greeted before looking towards Stella. "Stella," she said with a nod.

"Kaile, what are you doing here?" Stella inquired, still confused with the woman's presence.

"Yeah, I thought you were with vice now," Danny added.

"I was," she answered. "But recently I had been itching to come back here. Never thought I'd see that day that I would actually miss homicide," she explained. "Captain said you guys could use help down here so here I am."

"Wait, homicide?" Danny questioned.

Maka nodded somlemly. "A woman named Tanya Hawkins didn't make it through her sugery."

Danny let out a sigh. Having someone killed in shooting changed the entire situation, and not in a good way.

Stella nodded in understanding. "Well, we appreciate it," she said. She looked around the room. "We could use all the help we can get," she added.

Maka sent the woman a smile. "That's what I'm here for," she said before motioning towards the door. "I'm going to start with any possible witnesses."

"Alright, thanks," Stella told her.

The woman nodded before heading out the bar.

After she left, Danny turned back to Stella. "This is going to be a long day, huh?"

"Are we looking at the same room? I mean this glass alone is going to take hours to bag."

Danny looked around the room, growing more frustrated by the minute. He realized that the chances of spending time with his daughter were growing slimmer and slimmer.


	3. Holding On

_Hey everyone!! I want to first apologize for the delay. Real life has just gotten busy but I'm doing my best to start writing more often again. Hopefully there will be more to come. I appreciate the reviews and alerts from everyone!_

_And I also want to give a huge thanks to __**Brinchen86 **__for the beta and talking it through with me. She's the best!!!  
_

_-Andie_

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Chapter Three: Holding On

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1Just as it did any other day, the morning slowly went away leaving the afternoon to come and take its place. Not long after the sun reached its peak did it slowly began the descend below the horizon, bringing back the night sky behind it. Yet, inside the walls of the Rose Bar, the time seemed to be non-existent as Stella and Danny continued to collect evidence in the bar. Neither seemed to notice the time passing as they continued to bag glass and bullets, dust for prints, and swab the array of blood stains among the surfaces in the room. They worked in silence, both focused on the task at hand.

It wasn't until Stella took a glance around the room did she speak up. "Danny, do you realize we've been here almost all day and we still have so much left?"

Danny looked up from the bar he was currently dusting to meet Stella's gaze. "Yeah, it's like we process so much but the list of things to collect never seems to get smaller," he paused as something registered in his mind. "Why are we the only two here?"

Stella stood completely up from her spot on the floor and shrugged her shoulders. "I know Hawkes was finishing up another case and Mac is busy dealing with all the politics that come with an incident like this."

Danny sighed and looked back down at the bar. "There goes the night with my daughter", he muttered to himself.

Stella however heard him and immediately felt her heart for him. Lucy was barely a month old and he was already missing the moments of her life that he shouldn't have to.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her phone and dialed the familiar number.

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Just as Mac hung up the phone, it rang again. Breathing in heavily, he picked it up and prepared for another drawn out conversation.

"Taylor," he said roughly.

"Mac, it's me."

The moment he heard Stella's voice he let out a breath and sat back in the chair. "Stella, how's the scene?"

He heard her sigh through the phone as he waited for an answer. "I don't know, Mac. With just me and Danny here, everything's moving slowly. We could really use an extra set of hands."

"I think Sheldon may be close to finishing his case. I'll send him."

"Thanks Mac," she said. Even through the phone, he could sense the small smile on her face. "Oh and Mac,"

"Yeah?"

"Stop getting so frustrated. We're going to get this guy, alright."

"I know we will Stella," he replied.

After hanging up the phone, Mac stood to leave his office for what seemed like the first time all day.

He made his way into the hallways of the lab, swiftly moving past the various lab techs and other employees who were currently on shift that evening. He moved to one of the offices and found Sheldon sitting behind his desk.

"Sheldon," he said, getting the man's attention. "How that case going?"

Sheldon looked up with a proud smile. "Done. Suspect's DNA matched that of the crime scene. Guy confessed when he found out we knew."

Mac nodded. "Sheldon, I know your shift's almost over but Danny and Stella could really use a hand,"

"I'm on my way," Sheldon interrupted, not allowing Mac to finish.

"On your way where?" A voice came from behind Mac.

Both men turned to see Lindsay standing in the doorway.

Mac motioned to Sheldon with his head. "Sheldon's going to go help Stella and Danny down at the scene."

"Oh, well I'll go with you. I'm tired of paperwork anyway," she told them with a shrug.

"Actually Lindsay, I think it's better if you go home. I don't want you overwork your wrist. It needs to rest if you want a quick recovery."

"Mac, I'll be fine," she said with a reassuring smile.

"No Lindsay. Go home tonight. I bet that beautiful little goddaughter of mine could use her mother," he said with a knowing look.

Lindsay sighed, knowing he was right. With Danny most likely working well into the night, she should go home and be with Lucy. "Alright," she answered.

Mac nodded and headed out of the office. She watched him leave before turning back to Sheldon who was watching her intently. "I know, I know. He's right."

Sheldon smiled. "Yeah. Give Lucy a kiss from me," he said before giving her a pat on the shoulder.

"Sure. She'll be happy to have one from her Uncle Sheldon," she said with a light chuckle.

"Who wouldn't?" he replied with a teasing smile before heading out of the office.

After watching him go, Lindsay stood still for a moment, before turning to head to the locker room.

She entered to room, passing the rows of lockers until coming to her own. She opened it and began gathering her belongings when her phone rang.

She pulled it out from the clip on her hip and flipped it open.

"Monroe," she answered flatly.

"Well that's not the tone I wanted to hear."

Lindsay let out a light chuckle at her husband's comment. "I know. I should probably be happy that Mac suggested I go home early."

"He was talking about the wrist?" Danny asked, already having an idea of the answer.

"Yeah. He's right though. I probably shouldn't be overworking it."

"Too late for that?"

Lindsay's brows creased in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about Lucy, Ms. I never want to put her down," he said with a chuckle.

His statement caused Lindsay to laugh out loud as she took a seat on the bench. "I don't hold her that much do I?" she asked, already knowing that she did.

Danny laughed again through the phone. "Remember last Friday. She was sound asleep in the crib and you just went to pick her up so she could sleep in your arms while you sat in the rocking chair."

Lindsay couldn't help the loud laugh that escaped her lips as she listened to Danny. "Okay, okay, I guess I do. I just love holding her."

"There's nothing wrong with that," he told her. "It's good to hear you laugh."

Lindsay nodded in agreement, even though he couldn't see her. "Yeah, I guess we could use all that laughs we can get. How's it going down there?"

Danny let out a long sigh. "Slow. There's just so much evidence to be documented and collected. Chances are I'll be here late tonight."

As much as she wanted him home, she knew that he was right. Stella and Sheldon would need his help, especially if they wanted to solve the case. "Well, hopefully we'll have enough evidence to get a strong lead," she told him.

"Yeah, I hope so too."

"Did you hear from Don?" she asked out curiosity.

Once again, she heard him sigh through the phone. "No, and honestly, I don't know what to do. I know it's only been a day but I'm worried about him Linds."

"You think I should stop by his place on my way home, just to see if he's there?"

There was a pause for a moment before she heard him reply. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all. I'm just as much worried as you are," she told him.

"Okay. I mean, I guess just see if he's there."

"Okay, I will."

"Thanks Linds," he said. "Well, I should probably get back to the scene. Talk to you later?"

"You better. Call me when you leave, even if it's late," she told him.

"Yes ma'am," he said in a jokingly tone.

Lindsay chuckled as she grabbed her bag and stood up from the bench. "That's right," she replied as she closed her locker.

Danny laughed again. "Alright Montana. I love you."

"I love you too," she replied.

"And tell Lucy I love her," he added.

"I will," she told him

)()()()()()(

Driving in New York City was not an easy task. For some, it was almost like a sport. There were hazards left and right, whether it is the stoplights at the end of every block or the pedestrians who crossed as if they were invincible to the rough steel of a car. Then of course there were the tourists who seemed to have no idea of how to walk in the street.

Despite the danger and confusion, Lindsay was one of the few who found it relaxing. She had no idea why but whenever she drove along the various city streets, she seemed to be able to relax. The way the lights from the building hits the windshield, creating streaks of colors along the dashboard was one of the most beautiful sights in her opinion. She loved to watch the cars weave in and out of lanes as if they were the only cars on the road.

After she left the crime lab, she altered her route to be able to stop by Don's apartment, just as she promised Danny.

She had not been lying when she said that she was worried about him, for she absolutely was. Lindsay had seen Don as one of the most stable friends she had so knowing that he was going through a rough time scared her because she had no idea how he would be. She didn't know what to expect from him and that created an unsure feeling inside of her.

As she pulled up beside his building, she realized that she had to push those feeling aside if she wanted to be able to continue.

Turning off the ignition, she climbed out of the car and made her way around to the front of the building.

She walked up to the front and noticed the intercom against the side of the building. Remembering Don's apartment number, she pushed the button labeled 4C. The loud buzzing sound echoed from the speaker, alerting that it was working.

Lindsay crossed her arms across her chest as she waited and hoped for a reply. After a minute or so, Lindsay pushed it again, getting the same sound in reply as the first time.

A few more moments passed by and Lindsay began losing hope. Her gut told her that Don was in fact in his apartment but was choosing to ignore the intercom.

Lindsay bit her lip in thought on what her next move should be. Deciding that her options were limited, she began to turn to make her way back to her car when she saw a woman coming out of the building.

Her heart leapt as she was able to catch the door before it closed.

Moving through the small lobby, she opted for the stairs, hoping they would help her eliminate some of the anxiousness brewing inside of her.

Her hopes were disproven however when she reached the fourth floor and she seemed even more nervous than before.

Once again, she did her best to push the feeling aside as she moved to the designated apartment.

Seeing the bolded 4C on the door, she raised her fist and knocked on the door.

There was a silent pause as she stood outside of the door. She waited another moment before knocking again, this time leaning slightly near to the door.

She could hear the sounds of someone moving around on the other side of the door.

Taking in a breath, Lindsay spoke through the door. "Don, it's me, Lindsay. I know you're in there. Can you just come to the door please?"

After she stopped talking, she could hear the sounds of footsteps coming closer to the door. Standing straight back up, she saw the locks being twisted and mentally prepared herself for what she would see.

The door swung open to reveal a Don Flack Jr. that Lindsay barely seemed to recognize. Gone was the nicely placed hair and bright blue eyes. Instead, she saw his hair seeming longer than normal and his eyes were the pure definition of blood shot. Though it had only been a day since she had seen him, it looked as if it were years. He wore a simple NYPD t-shirt and gray sweatpants, the complete opposite to the tailored suits she was used to.

Lindsay found herself at a lost for words for a moment, not sure of what to do. After a moment, she managed to breathe in and speak the man across from her.

"Don…," she started.

"I'm fine Lindsay," he interrupted him.

From the moment the words left his lips, Lindsay could tell he wasn't. His voice seemed broken, as if he could break out in tears in any moment.

"Listen Don, I just…"

Once again, Don interrupted. "Lindsay, I'm fine okay. I don't need you to come here and…," he trailed off, his voice cracking heavily.

From where she stood, Lindsay could see his lips beginning to quiver. She watched as he tried to bite his bottom lip to hide it but miserably failing.

Knowing that there was nothing else she could say, she did the next thing she could think of.

Moving closer, she stood on the very tips on her toes and did her best to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling his much taller frame closer to her.


End file.
